Windshield wiper and winshield heating combination device

ABSTRACT

A windshield wiper and windshield heating combination device for resisting ice and snow accumulation includes an arm assembly and a blade attached to the arm assembly. The blade includes a resiliently elastic material. A heating assembly is coupled to the windshield wiper. The heating assembly includes a heating element that is embedded in, or attached to, and generally extends along a length of the blade. An electrical wire is electrically coupled to the heating element. A power supply is electrically coupled to the electrical wire.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to heated windshield wiperassemblies and more particularly pertains to a new heated windshieldwiper assembly for resisting ice and snow accumulation when traveling incold weather.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The use of heated windshield wiper assemblies is known in theprior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,177 describes a removable heated coverfor a windshield wiper blade assembly for preventing the formation ofice on the wiper blade assembly. Another type of heated windshield wiperassembly is U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,499 having a heated and lighted wiperassembly used by motor vehicle drivers under conditions such as freezingrain, sleet or snow. U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,933 describes a heatedwindshield wiper assembly that facilitates the efficiency of wiping avehicles windshield. Other related patents are as follows U.S. Pat. No.4,928,344, U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,543, U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,083, U.S. Pat.No. 5,831,242, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 345,329, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,765.

[0005] While these devices fulfill their respective, particularobjectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that couldeasily be attached to the existing rubber wiper blades.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention meets the needs presented above byutilizing spaced clips for holding the heating element against the sidesof the wipers.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a newheated windshield wiper assembly that would provide an added measure ofsafety by enabling a full view to be maintained through the windshieldin the winter.

[0008] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a newheated windshield wiper assembly that would allow the user to easilyadjust the heating effect by varying the electrical power delivered tothe heating elements.

[0009] To this end, one embodiment of the present invention generallycomprises a windshield wiper including an arm assembly. A blade isattached to the arm assembly. The blade includes a resiliently elasticmaterial. A heating assembly is coupled to the windshield wiper. Theheating assembly includes a heating element that is embedded in andgenerally extends along a length of the blade. An electrical wire iselectrically coupled to the heating element. The electrical wire extendsthrough a length of the arm assembly. A power supply is electricallycoupled to the electrical wire.

[0010] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood, and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additionalfeatures of the invention that will be described hereinafter and whichwill form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0011] The objects of the invention, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention will be better understood and objects other thanthose set forth above will become apparent when consideration is givento the following detailed description thereof. Such description makesreference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a side view of a windshield wiper and windshield heatingcombination device according to the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 of the presentinvention.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0016]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 ofthe second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1through 4 thereof, a new heated windshield wiper assembly embodying theprinciples and concepts of the present invention and generallydesignated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0018] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, windshield wiper andwindshield heating combination device 10 generally comprises awindshield wiper 12 including an arm assembly 14. A blade 16 is attachedto the arm assembly 14. The blade 16 includes a resiliently elasticmaterial. A heating assembly 18 is coupled to the windshield wiper 12.The heating assembly 18 includes a heating element 20 that is embeddedin and generally extends along a length of the blade 16. An electricalwire 22 is electrically coupled to the heating element 20. Theelectrical wire 22 extends through a length of the arm assembly 14. Apower supply 24 is electrically coupled to the electrical wire 22. Thepower supply 24 is the car battery. A switch 26 is electrically coupledto the electrical wire 22 for selectively supplying power to the heatingelement 20. The switch 26 may be mounted on a dashboard of a vehicle andmay include a rheostat 28 for altering the heat output of the heatingelement 20.

[0019] A second embodiment of a windshield wiper heating device 10,shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, may be removably attached to a windshield wiper12. The second embodiment of the windshield wiper heating device 10 isdesigned to be retrofitted to a vehicles existing windshield wipers 12.The windshield wiper 12 includes an arm assembly 14 and a blade 16attached to the arm assembly 14. The blade 16 has a pair of side edges30 leading to a bottom edge 32. Each of the side edges 30 has a slot 34therein. The device includes a heating assembly 18 that is removablycoupled to the windshield wiper 12. The heating assembly 18 includes aheating element 20 that is positioned to and extends along a length ofone of the slots 34. A plurality of clips 36 removably secures theheating element 20 to the blade 16. An electrical wire is electricallycoupled to the heating element 20. The electrical wire 22 extends alonga length of the arm assembly 14. A plurality of bands 38 is forremovably securing the electrical wire 22 to the arm assembly 14. Apower supply 24 is electrically coupled to the electrical wire 22. Aswitch 26 is electrically coupled to the electrical wire 22 forselectively supplying power to the heating element 20.

[0020] In use, a user would activate the switch 26 in freezing weatherand the electric heating element 20 would begin warming the wiper blade16. This would melt any ice or snow that may have accumulated on theblade 16.

[0021] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realizedthat the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of theinvention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form,function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readilyapparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalentrelationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in thespecification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0022] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only ofthe principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modificationsand changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

I claim:
 1. A windshield wiper and windshield wiper heating combinationdevice, said device being mounted on a vehicle, said device comprising:a windshield wiper including; an arm assembly; a blade being attached tosaid arm assembly, said blade comprising a resiliently elastic material;a heating assembly being coupled to said windshield wiper, said heatingassembly including; a heating element embedded in and generallyextending along a length of said blade; an electrical wire beingelectrically coupled to said heating element, said electrical wireextending through a length of said arm assembly; and a power supplybeing electrically coupled to said electrical wire.
 2. The combinationdevice as in claim 1, further including a switch being electricallycoupled to said electrical wire for selectively supplying power to saidheating element.
 3. A windshield wiper and windshield wiper heatingcombination device, said combination device being mounted on a vehicle,said device comprising: a windshield wiper including; an arm assembly; ablade being attached to said arm assembly, said blade comprising aresiliently elastic material; a heating assembly being coupled to saidwindshield wiper, said heating assembly including; a heating elementembedded in and generally extending along a length of said blade; anelectrical wire being electrically coupled to said heating element, saidelectrical wire extending through a length of said arm assembly; a powersupply being electrically coupled to said electrical wire, said powersupply comprising a battery; and a switch being electrically coupled tosaid electrical wire for selectively supplying power to said heatingelement.
 4. A windshield wiper heating device for removably attaching toa windshield wiper, the windshield wiper including an arm assembly and ablade being attached to the arm assembly, the blade having a pair ofside edges leading to a bottom edge, each of the side edges having aslot therein, said device comprising: a heating assembly being removablycoupled to the windshield wiper, said heating assembly including; aheating element being positioned in and extending along and adjacent toa length of one of the slots, a plurality of clips removably securingsaid heating element to the blade; an electrical wire being electricallycoupled to said heating element, said electrical wire extending along alength of said arm assembly, a plurality of bands removably securingsaid electrical wire to the arm assembly; a power supply beingelectrically coupled to said electrical wire; and a switch beingelectrically coupled to said electrical wire for selectively supplyingpower to said heating element.